What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The following is a brief description of the events of this accident: from eastern region operations center cruz/roo as reported by ilgt/olsen "at 1635E, smoke was observed from the left side of N90688, an L39C, on taxiway "f" while taxiing for departure. The ARFF responded, no fire was reported and the aircraft taxied to the ramp without incident." In a report received from the pilot of record "after the inspection I prepared for departure. The aircraft was turned into the wind and I began the start sequence, which was normal. I contacted ground and taxied to the runway. As I was taxiing, I received a light indicating electrical failure and rat displayed. I also noticed smoke coming from the right side of the aircraft. The control tower then radioed and asked if the plane was all right because they saw smoke as well. As I answered, total electrical failure occurred. At this point I hit the fuel cut off, shut down the engine, and engaged the emergency fire suppression system and exited the aircraft. Pilot statement continued: "in my opinion, the fire was caused by a malfunction in the saffire or electrical system." The above statement was received by fax from Mr. Cartwright ondec 03, 2001. There was a delay encountered in this investigation due to the fact the aircraft was not disassembled for our inspection until approximately 21 nov. The next possible time we were able to gain entry to the facility to view the damaged components and photograph the damage was nov 30 2001. Damage to the aircraft is substantial. The damage is confined to the engine bay area. There was enough heat to burn through the bulkhead above the start turbine and deform the side of the fuselage. The engine harness and all wiring in the engine bay area are melted. Paint on the aft fuselage was blistered and peeling.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE FOLLOWING IS A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENTS OF THIS ACCIDENT: FROM EASTERN REGION OPERATIONS CENTER CRUZ/ROO AS REPORTED BY ILGT/OLSEN "AT 1635E, SMOKE WAS OBSERVED FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF N90688, AN L39C, ON TAXIWAY "F" WHILE TAXIING FOR DEPARTURE. THE ARFF RESPONDED, NO FIRE WAS REPORTED AND THE AIRCRAFT TAXIED TO THE RAMP WITHOUT INCIDENT." IN A REPORT RECEIVED FROM THE PILOT OF RECORD "AFTER THE INSPECTION I PREPARED FOR DEPARTURE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TURNED INTO THE WIND AND I BEGAN THE START SEQUENCE, WHICH WAS NORMAL. I CONTACTED GROUND AND TAXIED TO THE RUNWAY. AS I WAS TAXIING, I RECEIVED A LIGHT INDICATING ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND RAT DISPLAYED. I ALSO NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE CONTROL TOWER THEN RADIOED AND ASKED IF THE PLANE WAS ALL RIGHT BECAUSE THEY SAW SMOKE AS WELL. AS I ANSWERED, TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE OCCURRED. AT THIS POINT I HIT THE FUEL CUT OFF, SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE, AND ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. PILOT STATEMENT CONTINUED: "IN MY OPINION, THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTION IN THE SAFFIRE OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM." THE ABOVE STATEMENT WAS RECEIVED BY FAX FROM MR. CARTWRIGHT ONDEC 03, 2001. THERE WAS A DELAY ENCOUNTERED IN THIS INVESTIGATION DUE TO THE FACT THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT DISASSEMBLED FOR OUR INSPECTION UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 21 NOV. THE NEXT POSSIBLE TIME WE WERE ABLE TO GAIN ENTRY TO THE FACILITY TO VIEW THE DAMAGED COMPONENTS AND PHOTOGRAPH THE DAMAGE WAS NOV 30 2001. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT IS SUBSTANTIAL. THE DAMAGE IS CONFINED TO THE ENGINE BAY AREA. THERE WAS ENOUGH HEAT TO BURN THROUGH THE BULKHEAD ABOVE THE START TURBINE AND DEFORM THE SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE. THE ENGINE HARNESS AND ALL WIRING IN THE ENGINE BAY AREA ARE MELTED. PAINT ON THE AFT FUSELAGE WAS BLISTERED AND PEELING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.